Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-11-05
Washington Letter.
WAsHINGToN, oct. 81. l8S7

One of the busiest men in Washing
ton is President Cleveland, who is
now absorbed in Investigating the
reports Of government bureau officers
and statistical works for the purpose
of preparing his annual message to
Congress. Most Of the large Libraries
in the Capital have contributed some
thing to the end in view, and |
doubt whether ever the encyclope-
dia is an exception.
The President is not the only one
preparing for the long session Of Con-
gress, now so near at hand, as the
Congressman themselves are arriv-
ing in the city every day, so as to
have plenty of time to settle them
selves down before beginning the
laborious task of next sessions work,
which will probably extend far into
the summer. 1t is likely that the
skirmish line of the Presidential con-
test of 1888 will be fought in the Fiji
tieth Congress, so it is highly proba-
BILE that many exciting and sensa-
tional scenes will be enacted in the
effort to manufacture political capital
for use in the pending campaign,
The tariff will be the question OF
all others that will occupy the atten-
ton of that body, while the DISPOSE
ton of the Treasury surplus will per-
haps be considered a collateral sub
ject.
The Interstate commerce law will
be amended, and in new legislation,
efforts will be made for the better
protection of railroad passengers
from being roasted to death by heat.
ing stoves and kerosene lamps,
Those who advocate government con.
troll of the telegraph expect to move
in behalf of their favorite measure
A perfect shower of pension bills may
be expected, but l am of the opinion
that most of them will gracefully re.
pose on the table until unceremoni-
ously committed to the Congression'
al or Presidential waste-baskets, fol
reform and retrenchment will be the
watchwords with Democrats, while
the Republicans will chiefly figure a:
malcontents and obstructionists.
The Fisheries Commission, O
which you have heard so much, has
engaged thirty-two rooms at n O
the leading hotels and will begin it
deliberations the latter part of mex
week, at which time the arrival o
the British Commissioners is expect
ed; their American colleagues arr
now here in consultation with Secre
tary Bayard as to their duties anC
the extent of their authority.
The differences of opinion between
the Civil Service Commissioners il
regard to the scope and operations o
the law which they are called upon t.
enforce, have become SO acrimoniou
that their personal relations arr
strained and the controversy has be
come a public scandal. These onc'
dignifed officials have fallen to fight
ing among themselves like a trio o
unruly schoolboys, and it is not a
all improbable that the President will
feel it his duty to play the role o
teacher and give them a sample o
his discipline.
For a long time the Postofice De
partment was greatly puzzled at tn,
wholesale reduction in the salaries o
those postmasters whose pay depends
upon the amount of postage stamp!
cancelled by them-a steady lie
crease being noted in every cas-
where a Democrat has succeeded
Republican. But an investigation
shows that the Republican postmas
tiers had been making false return.
and charging for stamps sold but no
cancelled, while, on the other hand
the Democratic successors have KEEP
honest accounts with the government
The result is that the old Republican
postmasters have been compelled t
refund half a million dollars wrong
fully withheld from the United States
"Turn the rascals out"
The third and fourth class postmas
tiers are dissatisfied with their sala
ries, and purpose holding a ~nationa
convention in this city in December
with the object of calling upon Con
gress to provide some way for an in
crease of their compensation.
Secretary Whitney has temporari
ly retreated from the Cabinet, on &C
count of illness brought On by over
work last summer. 1t is hoped tina
the genial and popular New Yorke